Assembly for rotating a flywheel, for short, incremental distances

ABSTRACT

An assembly suitable for jogging or inching a flywheel of a forming press is described. The assembly includes a brake shoe and drive shoe combination which can be brought into and out of engagement with a surface of the flywheel, and the drive shoe is arranged to impart an increment of rotation to the flywheel and to disengage the brake shoe from the flywheel during each period of driving contact between the drive shoe and the flywheel. When the drive shoe is disengages from the flywheel, the brake shoe maintains frictional contact with the flywheel to prevent unwanted rotation thereof.

United States Patent [191 Howlett ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATING A FLYWHEEL,

FOR SHORT, INCREMENTAL DISTANCES [75] Inventor: Mason M. Howlett, Penfield, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: The Gleason Works, Rochester,

22 Filed: Aug. 13, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 387,888

52 us. Cl. 74/142, 74/125 [51] Int. Cl. .i Fl6h 27/02 [58] Field of Search ..74/116,118,122,123, 74/124, 125, 142

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,287 3/1900 Hundhausen 74/122 3,489,024 1/1970 Ramstetter 74/142 3,572,144 3/1971 Lemens 74/142 [4 1 Jan. 14,1975

3,668,942 6/1972 Landis et a]. 74/142 Primary Examiner-Benjamin W. Wyche Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ralph E. Harper [57] ABSTRACT An assembly suitable for jogging or inching a flywheel of a forming press is described. The assembly includes a brake shoe and drive shoe combination which can be brought into and out of engagement with a surface of the flywheel, and the drive shoe is arranged to impart an increment of rotation to the flywheel and to disengage the brake shoe from the flywheel during each period of driving contact between the driveshoe and the flywheel. When the drive shoe is disengages from the flywheel, the brake shoe maintains frictional contact with the flywheel to prevent unwanted rotation thereof.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3,859.863

SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTED JAN 1 4 I975 v SHEET u or 5 PATENTED JAN 1 4l975 SHEET 5 OF 5 BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention relates to an assembly which can be mounted relative to a flywheel or other cylindrical body for imparting short, incremental rotations to the i rangement may provide for the positioning of a relatively large flywheel in the drive train for the press so that the flywheel can be connected and disconnected from the press without being stopped during a full cycle of the press. An example of a clutch device which is connected to a flywheel for controlling forming press operations is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,517.

It is necessaryin presses of the type contemplated herein to periodically shut down the basic driving mechanisms for the press so that critical adjustments can be made in relationships between press components. For example, it is necessary to shut down a press during changeover of a die set, or a portion thereof, and it is necessary to periodically align and set the shutheight of the pressnDuring such times, it is desirable to be able to jog the driving structures of the press through different portions of a typical forming cycle so that various measurements and adjustments can be made in the'press. This can be a difficult task inasmuch as many forming presses involve relatively massive structures which are difficult to move for short, controlled distances, and certain press designs, such as eccentric presses, encourage a movement of the press components to a stabilized position irrespective of attempts tolimit movements to short, controlled distances.

The present invention solves the problem of adjusting and setting press components by providing for an assembly which can engage a flywheel of the press and impart short, incremental rotations to the flywheel in a way which prevents unwanted extreme or reverse movements of the press components during such adjustment and movement of the press components.

In accordance with the present invention, an assembly for rotating a flywheel or other cylindrical body includes (a) a known brake shoe means mounted relative to the flywheel to be brought into and out of frictional contact with a surface of the flywheel (a known method for locking a. flywheel) and (b) a drive shoe means which is mounted relative to the brake shoe means so that it can be brought into an out of frictional contact with a surface of the flywheel while the brake shoe means isbeingurged into contact with the flywheel. The drive shoe means is arranged to (a) impart an increment of rotation to the flywheel and to (b) disegage the brake shoe means from the flywheel during each period of driving contact between the drive shoe means and the flywheel. The drive shoe means is provided with its own driving means for rotating the drive shoe means relative to the flywheel. Thus, the arrangement is one of providing for a pair of drive shoe memberswhich can be brought into alternate engagement with the surface of a flywheel and which can be'actuated in such a way that a step-wise motion is applied to the flywheel as one of the drive shoe members makes frictional contact therewith.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated in the detailed discussion below. In that discussion reference will be made to the accompanying drawings as briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing certain basic components of a forming press and its drive train as already known in the art;

FIG. 2 is a drawing similar to FIG. 1 as modified to illustrate the addition of a drive shoe means and its own driving means to an-existing brake shoe means for a forming press;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. I and 2, with portions of the press omitted, and showing the assembly of this invention as it would appear when brought into operative engagement with a flywheel of a press so as to provide a frictional contact between a brake shoe means and the flywheel;

FIG. 4 isa view similar to that of FIG. 3, but showing I a further advancement of the assembly of the present invention to a position wherein a drive shoe means is brought into frictional engagement with the flywheel while the brake shoe means is removed from engagement therewith;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an actual assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the same assembly shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view, partly in section V and in an enlarged scale, of the assembly of this inven DETAILED DISCUSSION OF INVENTION FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an arrangement, which is known in the prior art, for driving a forming press of the type in which a ram 1.0 is reciprocated toward and away from a bed 12. Typically, both the ram and bed carry portions of a die (not illustrated) which contains and defines a shape for a part being formed by such a press. The arrangement of FIG. 1 includes a main drive motor 14 for driving the ram 10 of the press. This is accomplished by connecting the drive motor 14 to a flywheel 16 with drive belts'l8, or other means, so that a rotational moment of the flywheel 16 can be applied to driving structures for the press. The driving structures for the press include a drive shaft 20, a pinion gear 22 connected to the drive shaft 20, a gear 24 in meshing engagement with the pinion gear 22 so as to be driven thereby, and .an eccentrically mounted shaft 26 which orbits with the rotation of the gear 24 so as to reciprocate the ram 10 toward and away from the bed 12. The drive shaft 20 can be connected and disconnected to the flywheel 16 through a clutch device of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,7l3,5l7, and this permits continuous operation of the main drive motor 14 and the flywheel during intervals of time in which direct drive to the driving structures of the press is not wanted. FIG. v1 shows the drive shaft 20 in a disconnected mode relative to the flywheel 16, and, in fact, the driving structures for the press of FIG. 1 are in a braking mode as schematically illustrated by the line drawn between the drive shaft 20 and a braking means 28. The press of FIG. 1 also includes a known brake shoe means 30 for stopping the flywheel 16 after its motor 14 is shut off. Also, the brake shoe means 30 can be used for locking the driving structures for the press when the main motor 14 is shut-down and the driving structures are interconnected to the flywheel.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate the press of FIG. 1 as modified to include the assembly of the present invention. In addition,the press shown in FIG. 2-4 is in an operational mode in which the drive shaft 20 is interconnected to the flywheel 16 (indicated by a line drawn between the two members) and disconnected from the brake means 28. This would be the condition of the press during normal operation thereof and during inching operations required for setting up and aligning dies between the ram and the platen 12. The FIG. 2 illustration shows the assembly 32 of the present invention out of contact with the flywheel 16, and this allows the flywheel to be driven by the main drive motor 14 and to impart its rotational moment to the driving structures of the press. FIG. 3 illustrates the press of FIG. 2 in a condition in which the main drive motor 14 is shut-down and the assembly 32 is brought into engagement with an outer surface of the flywheel 16. The assembly 32 is shown as being in a mode in which the brake shoe means 30 is in contact with the flywheel 16 while its companion drive shoe means 34 is out of contact with the flywheel tures of the press, a small drive. motor means 36 is actuated to bring the drive shoe means 34 into periodic engagement with the flywheel 16 (as shown, for example, in FIG. 4). It can be seen that when the drive shoe means 34 is brought into frictional engagement with the flywheel 16, the brake shoe means 30 is out of engagement with the flywheel 16. The motion imparted to the drive shoe means 34 by its drive motor means 36 is suchthat the flywheel 16 is rotated for a small increment of rotation during a portion of the travel of the drive shoe means 34. During the remainder of the travel of the drive shoe means (out of contact with the flywheel) the brake shoe means re-engages the flywheel and prevents any movement until the driveshoe makesfurther contact therewith. This jogging'motion can be continued for as long as desired by a continued operation of the motor 36, and during such operation, the two shoemeans 30 and 34 alternately engage and disengage with the flywheel 16. This provides a reliable advancement of the press components for desired short distances and, at the same time, assures a safe braking of the press in. any position that it may be adjusted to by the jogging assembly. This is very important in the case of an eccentric press since its massive components normally seek a stabilized condition which would result in rapid movements of its component parts if it were not prevented from moving to an extreme position. The driving motor 36 is preferably a reversible motor which will permit backward as well as forward movement of the press components.

FIGS. 5-9 illustrate details of construction of an inching drive assembly designed in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the assembly 32 includes a fixed portion 40 secured to a housing 42, or other fixed structure, associated with the press. In addition, the assembly includes a movable portion which is pivotally secured to the fixed portion 40 so as to move for limited distances about a pivot axis at 44. The movable portion of the assembly is also illustrated in FIG. 8 as it would appear when detached from the fixed portion 40. The movable portion of the assembly is normally urged away from contact with the flywheel 16 by a spring means (not shown) extending between the movable and fixed portions of the assembly. Movement of the movable portion of the assembly toward the flywheel is effected with pneumatic or hydraulic means of known design and construction. For example, an air spring 46, in the form of a bladder, of known design, which receives pressurized air from a source may be mounted between the movable and fixed portions of the assembly so as to effect movement of the movable portion thereof toward the flywheel 16 when the air spring is pressurized. This movement would be for the purpose of bringing the shoe means of the assembly into contact with a surface portion of the flywheel 16. When it is desired to move the shoe means away from the flywheel, the air bladder 46 is depressurized with known control devices, and a spring means, which is under tension, draws the movable portion of the assembly away from the flywheel 16. FIG. 5 also illustrates a limit switch 48 which prevents start up of the main drive motor for the press until the assembly 32 has been removed from any frictional engagement with the flywheel 16.

FIG. 7 illustrates the basic relationships which are established between the brake shoe means 30 and the drive shoe means 34. It can be seen that the respective shoe means are arranged so that only the brake shoe means 30 makes initial contact with a surface of the flywheel 16 when the movable portion of the assembly is brought into engagement with the flywheel 16. Once contact is made between the brake shoe means 30 and a surface of the flywheel l6, sufficient pressure is maintained on the brake shoe means 30 to prevent rotation of the flywheel. This, in turn, prevents unwanted movement of press components during aligning and adjusting of a die in the press. The drive shoe means 34 is mounted for limited movement between a pair of parallel plate members 50 and 52. The plate members 50 and 52 are secured in a spaced relationship to one another with web structures or by other means known in the art. The plate 52 is secured to a further plate element 54 which carries the brake shoe means 30. Bearings are included in the assemblies to the extent necessary to permit rotation of an eccentric member 56 of the drive shoe assembly in response to rotation of an output shaft 58 connected to a hydraulic motor means 36. The hydraulic motor means 36 is mounted on a torque reaction plate 60. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the torque reaction plate 60 is secured to the drive shoe plate 50 through an elastomeric coupling 62. This dampens torsional moments imparted to the assembly 32 by the operation of the hydraulic motor 36 and the eccentric sleeve element carried thereby.

When it is desired to jog the press components for limited distances, the hydraulic motor 36 is actuated through a known control circuit so as to slowly rotate the eccentric sleeve element 56 carried by its output shaft 58. This rotation results in generally elliptical movement of the drive shoe means 34 relative to the brake shoe means 30 which has been brought into previous engagement with the flywheel 16 (as shown in FIG. 7). Continued movement of the drive shoe means 34 results in a contact of the drive shoe means 34 with a surface of the flywheel, and even further movement of the drive shoe means 34 results in a lifting of the brake shoe means 30 out of contact with the flywheel and an advancement of the flywheel 16 for a short rotational distance which corresponds with the period of driving contact between the drive shoe means and the flywheel. Lifting of the brake shoe means 30 is possible because of the resilience of the air spring 46 which normally maintains the brake shoe means 30 in contact 7 with the flywheel 16. As the drive shoe means 34 continues in its elliptical path of movement, it ultimately moves away from actual contact with the surface of the flywheel l6, and this results in an immediate return of the brake shoe means 30 into contact with the drive wheel as a result of the relatively high force exerted thereon by the air spring 46. Thus, the flywheel can be moved for a short rotational distance which is completely controlled to prevent any unwanted reverse or extreme movement of the press components during such jogging or inching of the flywheel.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate design. details of the drive shoe components of the present invention. In order to assure a correct relationship between the drive shoe means 34 and the brake shoe means 30 at the end of each cycle of use of the inching assembly, a switch 63 is included in a control circuit which continues any given movement of the drive shoe means 34 relative to the brake shoe means 30 until the drive shoe means 34 reaches a position which is farther away from the flywheel 16 than the brake shoe means 30 (as shown in FIG. 7). This results in a correct placement of the drive shoe means 34 relative to the brake shoe means 30 so that subsequent movements of the entire assembly away from and back toward the flywheel 16 will result in an initial contact of the flywheel 16 by only the brake shoe means 30. The switch 62 can be activated by any known means, and FIG. 8 indicates the use of a cam surface 64 defined in outer periphery of a rotating portion of the drive shoe assembly.

FIGS. 8 and 9 also illustrate provision for adjusting the relative position of the drive shoe means relative to the brake shoe means through an adjustment screw 66 which functions to move the drive shoe means 34 toward or away from the flywheel 16, depending upon the direction of rotation of the adjustment screw 66. A guide key 6.8 guides adjustment movements of the drive shoe means. A spring element 70 is interposed between one end of the drive shoe means 34 and housing structure for the drive shoe means so as to prevent a tipping of one end or the other of the drive shoe means 34 into contact with the flywheel 16. The drive and brake shoe means 34 and 30 are provided with known frictional elements 72 for making frictional contact with a surface of the flywheel 16. In addition, a portion of the flywheel surface may be treated with a coated abrasive material to increase coefficient of friction between the inching assembly and the flywheel, if needed.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a press of the type which includes (a) a flywheel operatively connected to a main drive motor for being driven thereby, (b) a clutch device for engaging and disengaging said flywheel with driving structures operatively connected with a ram portion of the press, (c) a flywheel braking means for braking or locking the flywheel while the flywheel is engaged with said driving structures to thereby stop or prevent movement of said ram portion when said flywheel braking means is broughtinto engagement with the flywheel, and (d) an inching drive mechanism operatively associated with said flywheel and said flywheel braking means for ima driving motor means for moving the drive shoe means, actuating means for moving said assembly between positions which place the brake shoe means in and out of frictional contact with flywheel of said press, eccentric means for mounting said brake shoe means and said drive shoe menas relative to each other to provide for alternating engagement of the brake shoe means and the drive shoe means with said flywheel so that the flywheelis blocked from free rotation between successive engagements of the drive shoe means therewith, said drive shoe means being operatively connected to said driving motor means through said eccentric means so that only the drive shoe means is driven by direct action of the driving motor means, and

resilient means mounted between said movable assembly and said fixed structure of the press for allowing limited movement of the brake shoe means away from said flywheel when said drive shoe means is moved into engagement with the flywheel and while the movable assembly is being urged in a direction to normally place the brake shoe means in contact with the flywheel. 

1. In a press of the type which includes (a) a flywheel operatively connected to a main drive motor for being driven thereby, (b) a clutch device for engaging and disengaging said flywheel with driving structures operatively connected with a ram portion of the press, (c) a flywheel braking means for braking or locking the flywheel while the flywheel is engaged with said driving structures to thereby stop or prevent movement of said ram portion when said flywheel braking means is brought into engagement with the flywheel, and (d) an inching drive mechanism operatively associated with said flywheel and said flywheel braking means for imparting increments of rotation to the flywheel during periods when the flywheel braking means is disengaged from the flywheel, the improvement in said inching drive mechanism and said flywheel braking means comprising a movable assembly which can be mounted to fixed structure of a press, said assembly carrying (i) a brake shoe means, (ii) a drive shoe means, and (iii) a driving motor means for moving the drive shoe means, actuating means for moving said assembly between positions which place the brake shoe means in and out of frictional contact with flywheel of said press, eccentric means for mounting said brake shoe means and said drive shoe menas relative to each other to provide for alternating engagement of the brake shoe means and the drive shoe means with said flywheel so that the flywheel is blocked from free rotation between successive engagements of the drive shoe means therewith, said drive shoe means being operatively connected to said driving motor means through said eccentric means so that only the drive shoe means is driven by direct action of the driving motor means, and resilient means mounted between said movable assembly and said fixed structure of the press for alLowing limited movement of the brake shoe means away from said flywheel when said drive shoe means is moved into engagement with the flywheel and while the movable assembly is being urged in a direction to normally place the brake shoe means in contact with the flywheel. 